If you have an iPhone 3G and you have this feeling that upgrading to iOS 4 has slowed down your device and that you want to go back to iPhone 3.1.3 / 3.1.2. Or if you are one of those iPhone 3GS (new bootrom) or iPod touch 3G / 2G (MC model) user who has upgraded to iOS 4 only to find out that you cantjailbreak it can follow the instructions posted below to downgradeiOS 4.0 to iOS (formerly iPhone 3.1.3 or 3.1.2).

Release Power button but keep holding the Home button until your computer recognizes a new USB device.

iTunes will now recognize your iPhone.

Note: Your iPhone screen at this time should be blank (black in color), if not, then you are most likely in Recovery Mode, not DFU mode.

(Step 3 is for iPhone 3GS users only. If you are on iPhone 3G or iPod touch 2G (non-MC model), skip Step 3 and continue from Step 4)

Step 3: This step is applicable to iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 3G and iPod touch 2G (MC model) which have their SHSH blobs (ECID SHSH) saved on Cydia for the firmware you downgrading on. If you don’t have your SHSH files saved, you cannot downgrade the mentioned devices.

So what we will do is to trick iTunes into thinking that it is watching Apple servers, while in real, we are going to change the address to Saurik’s server.

Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\ and locate “hosts” file.

Mac users can get to “/etc/” directory by going through “Go –> Go to Folder” from Finder.

Open this “hosts” file in Notepad (for Windows) or TextEdit (for Mac OS X) and add this

74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com

line as shown in the screenshot below:

Now simply save this file and you are good to go!

NOTE for Windows 7 and Vista: Start “Notepad” with Administrator privileges by right clicking on “Notepad” app, and click on “Run as Administrator“ option.

Step 4: You will now have to restoreyour iPhone or iPod touch to the firmware you downloaded in Step 1. Click on your phone icon from the sidebar in iTunes. Now press and hold left “alt” (option) button on Mac (Left “Shift” button on Windows) on the keyboard and then click on “Restore” (Not “Update” or “Check for Update”) button in the iTunes and then release this button.

This will make iTunes prompt you to select the location for your downloaded firmware file. Select that ipsw file and click on “Open”.

Step 5: Now sit back and enjoy as iTunes does the rest for you. This will involve a series of automated steps. Be patient at this stage and don’t do anything silly. Just wait while iTunes installs firmware on your iPhone or iPod touch. Your iPhone screen at this point will be showing a progress bar indicating installation progress. Now at some point, iTunes will throw 1011, 1013 or 1015 error at you. This is normal, just ignore this error as the firmware has already been successfully installed on the device.

Step 6: Now you will need to exit your device from Recovery Mode. To do this, download a program called RecBoot (Windows / Mac). Run it and the click on “Exit Recovery Mode” button. Your device will now restart normally.

Related Stories

I accidentally upgraded to iOS4 this past weekend when I was rearranging all my files on my 3GS.

I found your forums and info when I searched for downgrading 3GS iphone 4.0.

Meaning, I never heard of Cydia before and DO NOT have my SHSH blobs (ECID SHSH) saved on Cydia, as instructed below.

Is there any other option for me? Thanks!

This is just for fast reference:

“Step 3: This step is applicable to iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 3G and iPod touch 2G (MC model) which have their SHSH blobs (ECID SHSH) saved on Cydia for the firmware you downgrading on. If you don’t have your SHSH files saved, you cannot downgrade the mentioned devices.”

and received the confirmation that the device / ECIDs can be restored safely. I listed it as iPhone 3GS 4.0 (8A293) (Suarek please remove the info that may be private. I don’t know if the number in parentheses is private or not. Thank you!)

I saved the entire results from the dialog box in case you need the info.

Steph

huntfor

Great advice. Thanks for mentioning this. Even though I’m having trouble, I’m progressing towards the finish line … I hope!

Help please I can’t download the file 3.1.3 I meant is downloaded but as zip, now what do I do? Do I need to extratc all files? which one I use? I saved it on desktop and once Itunes try to localize it then it won’t show as zip.. so if i extract files whichone I use?
plz my phone is blocked…

JR

When your downloading/saving 3.1.3 or for that matter any .ipsw file, make sure that you add .ipsw to the end of the file your going to save and make sure to save it as ” All Files” and not as a zip file.

JR

When your downloading/saving 3.1.3 or for that matter any .ipsw file, make sure that you add .ipsw to the end of the file your going to save and make sure to save it as ” All Files” and not as a zip file.

Loestrin24

To expand on my issue, I’ve noticed that the ipod seems to get itself out of DFU mode by itself in the middle of the restore (I tried putting it back into DFU mode after it did that once and it repeated itself all during the restore process)

Dpyron5

Has anyone gotten it to work on a 3GS?

Virgome

Have you got the solution to the issue u mentioned above, m also facing the same issue…pls help

alexandrao

please help!

i need to get it back to 4.0 ….ive done the downgrade already and now i actually have to bring the phone to apple to fix other issues and it has to be back to 4.0. I tried to upgrade normally through itunes and it says error 1602, unknown error occured.

Do i have to delete the line i added in the text file from the downgrade?

Royd3n

hi, i followed ur steps and got stuck at the restoring part, it says uknown error (13) any idea? thanks

Derawala

well now here i m stuck in deeep.. i downgraded my 3g to 3.1.3 and then i found out about the ssh and the other stuff it does… like not connecting to spirit for jailbreak and now i am stuck in recovery mode…… guide me what should i do… plzzzz i am stuck in recovery mode…………. it dosent even transfer to dfu mode.. so i can rebooot or again downgrade it…….. kindly guide

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).

Nirvanaskater

Have people had success using this method?
I want to restore my Iphone to a non-jailbroken version to test some errors i’m having. I want to downgrade it so I can then jailbreak it again. (I’m already stuck with bootloader 6.04 so no unlocking but it should already be unlocked).